To PETE or not to PETE: Review of the practical entrepreneurship teaching engagement (PETE) model to produce practically relevant entrepreneurial learning: A comparison of the effectiveness of action-learning in entrepreneurship in Singapore, China, Korea, New Zealand and Australia

• Main Authors: MUELLER, Jens, Thornton, John, DEWBERRY, Joe, TAN, Wee Liang, HU, Hanjun
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Institutional Knowledge at Singapore Management University 2005
• Subjects: entrepreneurship training; Asia; Practical Entrepreneurship Teaching Engagement model; Asian Studies; Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations; Higher Education
• Online Access: https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/lkcsb_research/644; https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/context/lkcsb_research/article/1643/viewcontent/To_Pete_or_Not_to_Pete_2005.pdf
• Institution: Singapore Management University

Purpose: To discuss the effectiveness of a sustainable entrepreneurship training program in several countries in Asia, used by global firms to identify junior management talent, by applying the PETE model of creating an engaging action-learning program. Design/Methodology/Approach: Current literature is reviewed to make a case for the applicability of action-learning based entrepreneurship training. The results of interviews with more than 20 senior level managers of multi-national corporations in 5 Asian countries are compared to self-evaluations of more than 300 student participants and more than 30 faculty evaluations of the program. We use the Practical Entrepreneurship Teaching Engagement (PETE) model to test for the applicability of key program components. Findings: This action-learning based entrepreneurship training program is valued highly by top-level executives of large global firms for the purposes of identifying junior managerial talent with sustainable enterprise interest and for demonstrating the firms’ commitments to ethical and sustainable business practices. These executives actively participate in the program through mentoring and by judging the final project outcomes in a competition format. The uptake level among students and satisfaction reported are high, and faculty members confirm significant learning has occurred. Faculty further report that this program compares well to case competitions. Research Limitations/ Implications: Our findings are limited to five countries in Asia: Australia, China, Korea, Singapore and New Zealand, and we believe that there are significant cultural differences between different countries, to not allow an easy transfer of these finding to other areas. Practical Implication: The PETE tool indicates specific ingredients which can be employed to structure practically relevant entrepreneurship education in an action-learning format. Originality/Value: This paper adds value to the discussion of how action-learning programs can be structured to be effective in developing future enterprise managers.